Elijah Update (Mar 26)

Dear Praying Friends,

When Judy created this mailing list it was to announce the birth of Elijah. Little did we know that we would be sending out so many reports and adding others to our list a month later. Thank you to everyone who is forwarding our updates out to others so more can pray for our little man.

The chest X-rays showed that he had fluid around his lungs. What the fluid was the doctor didn't know. So he decided to draw off the fluid. Sometimes we are frustrated at doctors for taking so long to act. Why wasn't this done earlier? Why did they wait until late Sunday morning to do a CT scan? We don't know, but we trust that the Lord is watching over Elijah and giving special wisdom to his doctor.

We had to wait on the CT scan to make sure there was no hemorrhaging of the brain that would be causing a nervous/respiratory system disorder and to make sure that there wasn't any hemorrhaging in his lungs. Thank the Lord there was no hemorrhaging of any kind.

When the doctor finally drew the fluid out of the chest he was sure and the tests confirmed that the fluid is chyme, a substance that is transported in the lymphatic system to the circulatory system. The doctor believes there is a leak/tear/rupture in a lymphatic vessel, and the chyme is flowing into the area around the lungs making it very difficult to breathe.

After drawing off 215 ml of chyme, Elijah was breathing much easier. The difference was amazing. We breathed easier and the doctor was excited to have an answer for us. He also noted that this problem is very rare. (Judy and I shrugged: Of course it is rare, everything that has happened to Elijah has been rare). We are very thankful to God for providing answers and results.

During the night more set backs. Elijah struggled with low blood pressure and difficulty breathing in addition to all of the edema on his head, neck and chest.

Monday morning Elijah's blood pressure had normalized, but he was breathing hard again and the swelling in his head, neck and chest was still excessive. The doctor decided to put tubes in little Elijah's chest to draw the fluid out. Our little man has more tubes in him than he ever has before. It is very difficult to watch him and not be able to hold him. This is the first time since he was born that we have gone more than 12 hours without holding him. Our little guy loves to be held, this must be hard on him as well.

Elijah is fighting hard, and his doctor is excited to have a patient who is responding so quickly to treatment. I pray that Judy and I could be as excited about Elijah's health. Please pray that Satan not be allowed to influence our mental and emotional state.

On a positive note, the doctor wants to take the ventilator out soon. This could mean he will no longer need sedation and won't seem "unconscious" any more. Please pray that the ventilator tube doesn't damage Elijah's vocal cords, windpipe, or lungs.

Thank you so much for your prayers and your letters to us. Judy is so encouraged by the e-mail we receive telling her how you are praying and how God has spoken to you through Elijah's illnesses. We know he has touched so many people, and we love to hear about it.

Joel, Judy, and Elijah